


Some doors are better left closed

by BarbAndCo



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Comedy, Established Relationship, Gen, M/M, This is crack, the feels when you accidentally traumatize your kid 10 years later
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:14:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26101762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarbAndCo/pseuds/BarbAndCo
Summary: In an attempt to discover any repressed memories, Izumi learns a lot of things from her childhood that are better left forgotten.or5 times Izumi didn’t realize she cockblocked her dads when she was a kid and the 1 time she, an adult woman, tells her parents that maybe they should chill.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 19
Kudos: 474





	Some doors are better left closed

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted on tumblr [ here ](https://firelord-boomerang.tumblr.com/post/627409877986344960/izumi-had-a-nightmare-and-goes-to-ask-her-dads-if)

Every so often, Team Avatar would go on vacation and bring the kids with them. In this particular instance, however, Zuko and Sokka were suddenly left alone in the beach house with all the kids because Aang, Katara, and Toph had urgent business to attend to. A middle-aged couple with their twenty-something adult children wouldn’t be much of a problem but let it be said that team avatar has never had it easy. And their day goes like this:

It’s summer in the Fire Nation which means it’s blistering hot and there’s really nothing else better to do than sit down in front of the fan and curse the sun spirit for being so active today. In Ember Island, the children of Team Avatar lounge lazily in the courtyard chatting about their lives.

“It’s so hot,” Bumi bemoans.

“How does anyone survive this?” Kya says as she refreezes the ice cubes they placed in front of the fan.

“They don’t,” Lin groans out.

“You’re all a bunch of babies.” Izumi sits primly on the edge of the step looking none too bothered by the sun, heat, and general hotness of the Fire Nation. She isn’t even sweating.

“I don’t think it’s too hot.” Tenzin tries to put a calm and unruffled facade.

“Says the guy whose back is literally drenched in sweat,” Lin points out. 

“It’s so hot!” Bumi yells at no one in particular. “And I’m so bored but it’s too hot to move.”

“I have an idea.”

Everyone looks at Tenzin with a mix of polite curiosity, indifference, and murderous intent.

“It doesn’t involve moving I promise.”

“Fine, what’ve you got?” Kya straightens up and looks up expectantly.

“I read about this meditation technique that unlocks repressed memories,” Tenzin explains. “It’s like unblocking your chakras but instead of achieving the avatar state you get all your memories.”

“And where’d you read that?” Kya asks.

“In a book Uncle Sokka stole from the spirit library.”

“I’m pretty sure everything Dad took from that library is cursed now,” Izumi points out. “That owl was miffed about them coming there in the first place. Also, Admiral Zhao torched a whole section. I am a hundred percent sure whatever you know is cursed.”

“Are we really going to spend our vacation _meditating_ ,” says Lin.

“It’s just sitting around and thinking,” Tenzin defends. “And it’s better than just sitting here doing nothing!”

“If we do it, will you stop talking?” Bumi says. “Because I would take meditative silence than the sound of you arguing.”

Everyone gets into a cross-legged sitting position and Tenzin instructs them on what to do. Halfway through Tenzin’s explanation Bumi is asleep, Kya is daydreaming, Lin is nowhere to be found, and Izumi is the only one following instructions.

“Now, imagine you’re in a place filled with doors.” Tenzin’s voice washes over Izumi. “And focus on a door, any door, and reach with your mind. And open it.”

Izumi finds the door, she reaches the knob, and she’s pushed into a memory.

* * *

_Izumi was seven years old and she’s just had a nightmare. She couldn’t remember what it was about but it was bad. She jumps out of bed and starts running to her fathers’ chambers. Before knocking, she stopped to take a breath. She could hear noises coming from the room, indistinct noises like thumping and fumbling._

_She knocked on the door still sniffling from her nightmare._

_“Dad, Papa,” she called out. “I have a bad dream.”_

_She heard some shuffling, someone falling off the bed and onto the floor hard, and footsteps. Papa opened the door, his gold eyes filled with concern. He picked her up and headed to bed. He was wearing Dad’s sleep robes and she pointed it out._

_“Um, yeah…” Papa cleared his throat. “I ran out of sleep robes. Anyway, what’s wrong Izumi? Did you have a nightmare?”_

_Izumi nodded, tucking her face into her father’s neck. He set her down on the bed and she burrowed into the blankets immediately. She felt safe now._

_“Come here, my little princess.” Dad’s hair was a mess out of its usual wolf’s tail and he looked flustered._

_“Did you have a nightmare too?” Izumi asked, concerned._

_“Mmhmm,” Dad made a high pitched humming sound. “Yep. Something like that.”_

_“Don’t worry, I’m here now.” She hugged him._

_“You sure are.”_

* * *

Izumi is brought back to reality and she is grossed out.

“YUCK!” Izumi yells. “Gross! Fuck! Ewwwww! Dear spirits, I did not need to know that!”

“What’s wrong?” Bumi startles out of his nap.

“What did you see?” Tenzin’s brow scrunch up in seriousness. “Did you unlock some deep trauma?”

“No but I’m traumatized _now_!” Izumi holds her head in her hands shaking back and forth.

“So, what is it?” Kya asks.

“When I was a child, I ran to my fathers’ chambers after a nightmare and apparently I stopped them from… uhh…” Izumi falters. She cannot bring herself to explain.

Bumi seems to have understood perfectly and starts cackling. “Oh, that’s rich!”

Tenzin blushes, eyes wide. “That’s uhh… something at least?”

“This is hilarious,” Bumi says.

“This is _horrible_ and I hate it and you’re so dead Tenzin!” Izumi shouts.

“Let’s just try again?” Tenzin holds his hands up. “Maybe a new unlocked memory can make you forget about that one.”

“Fine,” Izumi grumbles because at this point she’ll take anything.

“I bet this is going to end badly,” Kya says.

“Everyone close your eyes and take a deep breath,” Tenzin continues ignoring Kya.

Izumi follows the instructions and again she is in the calm, empty space with the doors. So, many doors. She needs to choose the right one and so she grabs a knob and opens it.

In her mind’s eye she sees it, she’s ten again running through the halls of the palace looking for a new place to explore.

* * *

_There will be no room left unexplored in the Fire Nation palace! Izumi thought as she zoomed from room to room, kicking down doors to show dominance. When she entered the last door in one of the most remote corridors of the place, she saw Papa looking red and disheveled while Dad at the far end of the room with his hair in this disarray._

_“Watcha doing?” young Izumi asked innocently._

_“Uh...” Dad looked at Papa at the other side of the room. “We’re playing... Er, hide and seek.”_

_“Can I play too?”_

_“No no no,” Papa said quickly. “The game’s--um, it’s over now. And we both lost so we’re all going to go down the kitchen and get some ice cream.”_

_Izumi cheered at the prospect of ice cream and that was it._

* * *

Izumi starts screaming.

“What did you see? What did you see?” Kya tries to shake Izumi out of whatever trance she’s in.

Izumi opens her eyes with a gasp. “Tenzin, you are _so_ dead!”

Bumi laughs delightedly. “You saw your parents doing it again?”

“No!” Izumi curls up into a ball on the floor. “I keep remembering the times that I cockblocked my parents. This is awful.”

“That’s not too bad,” Bumi says, trying for comfort. “It could be worse.”

“Easy for you to say,” Izumi grumbled. “Your parents aren’t extremely sexually active unlike mine apparently. And in public too!”

Kya pats her on the back.

“I did not need to know this information!” Izumi wails.

“Izumi, I know you might disagree,” Tenzin is using his calming voice. “But I think we should try again once more.”

“You’re joking.” Kya gives Tenzin a disbelieving look. “You can’t possibly be serious.”

“That’s cruel, man.” Bumi tsks.

“Hear me out!” Tenzin lifts up his hands. “I’ve never met anyone who could unlock their memories so quickly! Even the air acolytes I’ve talked to only had a blurry recollection of their memories.”

Izumi sighs. In for a copper, in for a pound, she supposes. “Fine but if this one is worse, I’m coming for you.”

“Fantastic!” Tenzin rejoices. “Okay, close your eyes and go to your calm place…”

Izumi concentrates and this time there is only one door. She takes a deep breath and walks through.

* * *

_Izumi was thirteen and it’s the firelord’s birthday. The party is in full swing but her parents are nowhere to be found. Uncle Aang asked her to find her dads and she went looking. She went to the kitchen and saw Papa standing behind the counter looking flushed._

_“Papa, are you okay?”_

_Papa looked up startled and cleared his throat. “Izumi, yes! Definitely fine! I’m just, ah, well you know how I get at parties even my own.”_

_Izumi narrowed her eyes. “Okay?”_

_“Did you need anything?”_

_“Have you seen Dad? Uncle Aang was looking for the two of you.”_

_“Oh, your dad?” Papa squeaked. “Your dad is umm…”_

_A loud crash near the kitchen island drew both of their attention. The silverwares have toppled to the floor and Dad emerged looking haggard._

_“I’m here!” Dad stood up quickly._

_“What are you doing down there?” she asked._

_“Just uh… looking for this fork--” Dad held up a tiny fork “-- just this specific fork. I needed it. For reasons.”_

_“Okay. Cool. I’m going to tell Uncle Aang. You two are being really weird.”_

* * *

“No!” she yells, her eyes still closed. “That was such a good party, too.”

Izumi decides to continue on without pause. She runs from that memory and takes another door that’s so conveniently popped up. She hopes this memory is much better.

* * *

_She was fifteen and they were in the South Pole. She just got back from the market with her friends and she wanted to show off the things she bought. She bet her fathers would love the antique swords she got and for a bargain too!_

_Izumi headed to the training area because her dads usually sparred together during this time whenever they had a chance. She was going through her bags not really paying attention to her surroundings._

_“Hey, Papa, Dad!” she called out. “I bought some stuff for you guys, I think you’ll like it.”_

_There was a loud thump and then she heard someone say “Fuck!”_

_She stopped walking and started getting concerned. “Did you guys take sparring too seriously again? Aunt Katara is going to be so mad at you if either of you got injured.”_

_Papa emerged from the training area looking gross and sweaty. “Hi Izumi! How was your trip?”_

_“Is everything okay?”_

_“Yes, everything’s great.” Papa started steering her to the exit. “Come on, let’s go to the other room and check out what you bought.”_

_“What about Dad?”_

_“He’s fine,” he assured her. “Sokka, you’re fine right?!”_

_“Just great!” Dad yelled from the training area. “You two go ahead.”_

_“If you say so.” Izumi shrugged._

* * *

“Izumi, don’t force yourself,” Bumi warns.

“Yeah, snap out of it,” Kya follows.

“Fuck, no!” Izumi squealed. “Okay, last one. Last door. Please, spirits help me. Let this be a good door.”

She opens the final door to her memories and she regrets it immediately.

* * *

_It was three days ago, their first day on Ember Island. They went to see the play and it was abysmal as usual. Bumi, Lin, Kya, and Tenzin were all making fun of the production while Izumi went looking for the restroom. The theater was newly renovated so she found herself lost in the halls._

_Then, she heard groaning. She walked slowly down the hall and the groaning got louder. She heard about Grampa Iroh and Dad’s situation with the spirit world and she will not fall victim to a haunting._

_“Hello?” she said. “Are you a ghost? Because if you are, I’m not scared of you!”_

_The groaning stopped and she pretended to walk away faking her footsteps. After a few moments, two figures emerged from the end of the hall. It was her parents._

_“What are you still doing here?” Dad asked, shocked._

_“I thought you were ghosts.”_

_“Well, we're not,” Father said calmly. “So, let’s just go back to the lobby.”_

_“Yes, the lobby.” Dad nodded enthusiastically._

_“You didn’t see any ghosts did you?” She peered towards them._

_“Nope.”_

_“No, ghosts here.”_

_“All right.”_

* * *

Izumi opened her eyes and shrieked then started kicking Tenzin.

“I told you anything from the spirit library is cursed!” she yelled.

Before Tenzin, Bumi, or Kya could do anything, Izumi stormed inside.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the house Zuko and Sokka were oblivious to the turmoil their daughter has been experiencing the past hour. They’re too busy flirting with each other and enjoying their much needed vacation.

Zuko serves Sokka tea because they wanted to relieve their first date.

“How is it?” Zuko watches eagerly as Sokka takes a generous sip.

“It’s good,” Sokka manages to choke out. He tries to hide his grimace but Zuko sees right through him.

“It can’t be that bad!” Zuko snatches the cup away.

“I didn’t say it was bad.”

“No, but your face is telling me everything I need to know.”

“It tastes like hot leaf juice with a bit of dirt flavor,” he tries to explain.

“That’s what all tea is!” Zuko points out.

“How were you ever a tea server?” Sokka sits back on his chair watching Zuko get even more irked.

“I’ve never had any complaints,” Zuko grumbles.

Sokka smiles brightly. “Probably because you’re so cute they didn’t have the heart to tell you.”

Before Zuko could say anything, Izumi bursts through the doors, absolutely fuming, her face red. She marches right to them and points accusingly.

“You two!” She yells. “You ruined my childhood!”

“I’m sure we did, but how?” Zuko startles.

“Oh, you know how.” Izumi gives them both the stink eye. “You _know_.”

She then stomps to her room yelling profanities along the way.

“Do we know?” Zuko turns to Sokka.

Sokka shrugs looking as bewildered as he felt.

They hear a door slam and muffled screaming.

“I always knew she was going to go through a rebellious phase,” Sokka says. “I just didn’t think it’d be in her early twenties.”

“Should we talk to her?”

Tenzin comes through the door followed by Kya and Bumi. Tenzin looks at them apologetically. “I’m so sorry about this. Please, don’t tell mom and dad. I can fix it. I promise.”

“See to it that you do,” Sokka replies without knowing the context but Tenzin didn’t need to know that.

Tenzin hurries away to what they assume would be something to help console Izumi.

“What are these kids up to?”

“Beats me.”

* * *

Izumi emerges from her room after a couple of hours looking her usual calm and collected self. Zuko and Sokka wait for her to say something.

“Father, Dad,” she addresses them. “I’ve come to terms with my childhood and I want to say that I don’t blame either of you anymore. You’ve created a loving and nurturing environment for me and I appreciate that.”

“Thank you, Izumi. That’s--” Sokka starts to say but Izumi holds her hand up.

“Excuse me, Dad. I am not finished.” Izumi clears her throat. “You two have always been in love and I fully understand that it comes other… things, as well. Things that no child should bear witness to.”

“Izumi your monologue is very concerning,” Zuko says.

“Father, please. I will let you know when I am done speaking.”

“My apologies.” Zuko exchanges a look with Sokka. “Go on.”

“Thank you.” Izumi nods and continues, “I am truly fortunate to never have been an actual witness to such acts but I did get close glimpses and for a majority of those instances you are to blame. They were in public spaces and really you two should have more restraint, but I digress. 

I want to forget everything that’s ever happened, however, I can no longer do that. So, I will look on the bright side and see this positively. My parents are in love and it’s one of those kinds of love that lasts lifetimes and I can only hope to find love like that someday. In short, I forgive you but, please for the love of all that is divine, _keep it in your pants_.”

Sokka and Zuko stare at their daughter wide eyed. Did they just get scolded? It feels like they’re rowdy teenagers again. She looks at them expectantly over her glasses.

“Um, thank you?” Sokka says. “And we will…?”

“Yes, that’s very kind of you,” Zuko agrees. “We promise to be better.”

“You’re welcome.” Izumi smiles and sits down. “What’s for dinner?”

Sokka and Zuko look at each other as if asking _what the fuck just happened?_ And going _well, it just resolved itself so let’s not look a gift ostrich horse in the mouth._ They carry on the evening asking the kids about what they did and continuing to be oblivious to the fact that they’ve accidentally traumatized their daughter about her childhood post-childhood.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!


End file.
